Mario & Clarise: The Heroic Legacies
by The Claw
Summary: Two unlikely allies must resolve initial differences to ensure peace in the Mushroom Kingdom, and deal with international relations on their planet as well. Hostility between members of Princess Peach's family is also an ongoing issue. A long quest begins
1. Chapter 1

I own some characters in this series, though not all by any means. My work tends to use a dialog-orientated format, and much of it centers around the Super Mario universe. Italicized text with no name given is from the narrator. He also makes direct appearances, in that case he will interact like everyone else. 

Mario & Clarise: The Heroic Legacies

Prologue- "A Battle of Destiny"

_"Mario has just reached the dark castle's throne room."_

Koopas have always had a thing for medieval architecture. Many cracked gargoyles line Bowser's home. Outside, large machinery helps to guide the lethal magma flow away to prevent it from getting out of control. Although this dangerous region has no official name, it's commonly known as Koopaland.

"I can't take you any longer! Our kingdoms have been at war for years." Mario states in frustration.

They stand in battle form. This long-running feud can no longer be contained by threats alone.

"Yeah?" The sarcastic reply of Bowser's, hiding how tired he is. "Small talk doesn't stop me!"

After only a moment of silence, their fight is quick yet furious.

"How could he..." Bowser states in disbelief.

"You're not worth the trouble." Mario is panting while exhausted. "Go away!"

"I can live?" In a rare moment of actual surprise for him, Bowser says this while thinking out loud.

Unsure what to do, both people pause a few moments.

"I'm not an assassin." Mario declares. "Get out of my sight!"

"There's no other way, a miracle leap is the only chance." Bowser tells himself.

He goes behind his curtains. What remains of them, at least. The ancient building is in total disrepair due to erosion and countless battles.

"Geez, what is he doing?" Mario asks in confusion.

Just then, part of the floor collapses.

"Whoooa!" Mario's unable to reach solid ground.

He lands on top of various sized bricks. This landing is rough, luckily his brother soon catches up.

"Are you alright?" Luigi looks worried now.

"Sure. A little bump and some fighting isn't much." Mario's response.

"Did something happen to Bowser?" Luigi inquires curiously.

"I don't know. I'd ordered him into exile, then fell while he was behind a curtain." Mario replies with little emotion.

"You're not the King. He will return." Luigi says.

"Let's get back home!" Being worn out from combat, Mario doesn't hear him.

The two heroes return to the Mushroom Kingdom, relaxing without an care. They have no idea what evils lurk about.

Chapter 1- "The Adventure Begins"

Our main story begins several days afterward. Mario's currently on a visit to the King's royal castle. However, he has been lethargic as of late... Luigi is nowhere to be found too. This castle greatly contrasts with the one now abandoned since Bowser's disappearance.

"Mario?" Princess Peach asks.

As a kind hearted lady, her manners and dress are quite popular. Everything is decorated pink inside the room.

_"No answer from Mario. He's in bed, not moving at all."_

"Mario! Wake up!" Peach is also frustrated by his recent state.

He rolls over. A giant blanket covers him.

"What's wrong? You've been half asleep the last week." Peach questions him a bit.

"I'm not done resting." Mario's not happy to be talked to, his face slides out from underneath.

"Well... My father doesn't like it." Peach says coldly.

"Oh!" Mario tries to hide how much he dislikes the King.

He goes into a dressing room, coming out in some overalls he's owned for ages.

"That was fast. I'm impressed by your abilities." Peach's beautiful smile is back.

"Hey, it's my job." Mario claims with heroic charm, then walks into their land's throne room. It is also spotless like the rest of this castle. A powerful man is sitting down, his regal attire shines from the polished floor's reflected light.

"What did you call me for?" Mario's trying to not show displeasure.

"I'll overlook the informality." The King tells him. "Your slothful behavior has spread so wide that our citizens refuse to work at all!"

_"He is an honest ruler, despite the attitude at times."_

"Save everyone from evil and..." A visibly annoyed Mario turns away.

"You should respect me, King Hector Lazarus Pecheti." He isn't pleased either.

"Am I supposed to do anything without opponents to challenge?" Mario asks intelligently.

"The royal mushroom knights will defend us at home. You'll head out to strike down enemies abroad." The King commands.

"I was about to ask that." Mario's expression is of relief.

"Very well. Leave at your own pace." While walking toward another room, the King says this.

Mario heads out into the nearby village. It has many mushroom people, and they are generally fun natured. One of them comes up to him.

"Mario? Are you going somewhere?" Toad thought he was defeated by Bowser.

"Sure." Mario's in a hurry to get away, so his speech is quick.

"There's a letter with your name on it." Toad, who's reaching for an envelope.

"Found anything?" Mario asks impatiently.

"Ah ha!" Toad exclaims.

He hands the item over. It doesn't have a return address.

"No address. How strange is that? I'll read the document before I go." Mario's looking at it.

Letter: Dear Mario, we'd like your help. A large green creature was seen arguing with two men wearing purple. One is short, the other tall. I fear their dispute could ruin our peaceful ways. All of them appear to be obnoxious, loud, and just plain irritable. I'll give any new details that come up when you arrive. Thanks. Yours truly, Clarise.

"Well, do you believe the message?" Mario isn't impressed.

"It's a girl, I think. Seems fine to me. What's with the drawn heart though?" Toad has a confused tone.

"No idea. The green man can't be Bowser, he's exiled. Those other guys are probably Wario and Waluigi." The ever-smart Mario had to say. "They're a bother, yet not really dangerous."

"I wouldn't get too confident. They could've killed me in that last tennis match." Toad's face is of worry.

"Since when did you play?" Mario seems rather shocked.

"Last week. I begged them after being excluded from the tournament." Toad explains.

"OK, what type of game?" Mario says in agreement.

"I, uh, had to give up my stash of super mushrooms." Toad's expression is odd.

"Ugh. Now they'll be a problem. Stay off the court unless there's staff to enforce rules." Mario commands him.

"Will do, just get my stuff back." Toad nods while saying it.

Mario soon remembers his orders.

"I'm running late." He says. "Thank you for your help."

The valiant hero walks toward a big horizon, unaware of his upcoming adventure.

- As this series' title indicates, Clarise costars in it. She's an original creation. Most chapters will have either Mario or her leading, occasionally others may have a temporary role important enough to focus on. Have fun reading!

Credits

Nintendo, etc: Universes which provide inspiration.  
Text Editors: The draft is written in Notepad, formatting done with OpenOffice.  
FanFiction: Publishing. I do host fiction myself, yet this community may allow significant works to reach a wider audience.  
Myself: Original characters. Many hours of typing. Of course the plot-line too.  
Readers: Word of mouth, satisfaction from reader comments, and more.


	2. Chapter 2

This second part brings the other star's debut. I won't spoil her questionable personality. It is unlike any found in Nintendo's canon.

Chapter 2 "Dream Girl... Or Maybe Not!"

After a long distance of walking, Mario visits an old gas station for help. There's little scenery. Patches of grass here and there, several parking lots with few people in them.

"Whew! I'm out of the king's view, but I could use a map." His wisdom concludes.

An attendant notices him, coming up to help.

"How my I serve you?" He asks.

"Where's the town?" Mario is wondering.

"You're in it. If you need food, head up a block." The attendant states before going back to work.

Mario takes an abandoned ATV, and rides it to the local restaurant.

"Hey wise guy! That's my parking area." A rather rude thwomp says. His stone body is impenetrable to direct attack.

"I don't see any vehicle." Mario's unsure what the creature means.

"Don't joke around with Thwokul, idiot!" Thwokul gets angry. "I'm right here!"

"But..." Mario is speechless.

He evades a flat future, as the ATV gets crushed.

"It'll be you next time!" Thwokul threatens.

Mario heads inside the building. It's a creative atmosphere. Comfy blue dining furniture, with an old-fashioned style. Many species of life enjoy this establishment.

"Table for one?" The waiter asks politely.

"No. I'm looking for information." Mario's head shakes.

"I suggest the back room, left of myself." The waiter tells him.

Mario goes there. Several different creatures are around, and many broken jukeboxes sit by an old door.

"Huh? Who's this?" A boo with Igbooi written on his cap says abruptly.

"You dimwit, it's the famous Mario!" An eccentric little bom-omb declares.

"Anyone know of a Clarise?" Mario is searching about the room to try and spot her.

"Don't vacuum my aunt!" Igbooi blurts out.

"Uh, how about somebody not of the living dead?" A rather stern Mario.

"Professor Kcuhc might know. His family kicked him out because he wouldn't play football." Igbooi points left.

Mario walks over to the weird man. He's of all things, a Chargin' Chuck who grew up deciding to pursue science. He also has poor hearing and eyesight.

"Ah yes! A fruit box, goomba powder, and a coffin..." Kcuhc's focused on an experiment.

"Excuse me." Mario is waiting.

"It doesn't work. Maybe this nebula spray is too small?" Kcuhc notices him. "If I'll be a scientist, the Mario has arrived."

"Do you know..." Mario gets interrupted quickly.

"Yes, you're looking for a perso-whatchacallum?" The professor often is forgetful too.

"Person." Mario can't stand this man.

"Exactly what I said. Postulate yourself into the box." Kcuhc says.

"Are you trying to be funny?" Mario's stare of concern has no effect.

"Into the box goes you!" A stubborn Kcuhc insists.

Mario shrugs, following that order. Kcuhc then raises the coffin on it's end, dabs powder on top, and puts Mario inside his box up top.

"Yuck! What's this slimy goo?" Mario's very mad now.

"Pipe down. My adhesive mixture has exceeded maximum usage, it's a substitute." The odd professor has to explain.

"Let me out!" Mario, struggling.

"If you say so." Kcuhc sprays his invention, then lights the powder with a match. "It won't hurt at all."

"Oh boy..." The appearance of Mario's face is shocking.

He gets launched through an open window, into a front yard. It's kept nice. Green shrubs and well trimmed grass. No injuries occur.

"What's that loud noise? A cannon?" Somebody says from inside the house.

"Should I come in?" Mario asks.

"Alright, I'll be there in one second." The person isn't prepared for visitors.

Mario sits down. Soon, an absolutely gorgeous woman comes out of her washroom dressed in just a large towel. Silky almond hair, gentle curves, with smooth skin too.

"Sorry for not getting ready." She kindly takes a chair.

"Um, yeah. I'm trying to find a Clarise or something." Mario is stunned. Never before has he drawn eyes on perfection as the woman next to him is.

"That's me!" Clarise says happily.

"I get it. Your letter came, and I'm on a quest from that stupid King." Mario isn't sure what he should do.

"You don't seem like it was a nice event." Clarise, stating the obvious.

"Not at all! Stolen mushrooms, then an oddball professor." Mario mentions.

His eyes roll upon thinking of how strange the journey is.

"I thought if anybody could make this trip, you'd discover a way." An impressed Clarise.

"Found more details on those mysterious people? Mario asks, in the hope she'll leave him alone.

"A little. First, I'll..." She draws closer, giving an unexpected kiss. Mario is frozen by the surprise.

"I didn't mean for this outcome." Clarise is disappointed about how he reacts.

"Get your will ready!" Mario, now clearly angry.

"You wouldn't dare." The look on Clarise's face seems to hold confusion.

"Quit it! I'm not out for women." A stern Mario explains.

"How about another try?" Clarise asks, swallowing one mushroom.

"Where'd that come from?" Mario's shocked.

"It was dropped outside, in a trail of crumbs." Clarise's changing the subject.

"My thief must be klutzy." Mario laughs at this statement.

"Stolen mushrooms? It's likely related to those jerks digging everywhere." Clarise's looking around.

"I think we're after the same enemy." On a spark of brilliance, Mario says this.

"Possibly, they're rather loud." Clarise wants the conversation to end.

She gets up. Her marvelous figure is even more impressive when she's standing.

"That's all?" Mario, also out of his chair.

"I've been training at Jinx's martial arts place and..." Clarise's words are cut off.

"Forget it! You're not a hero!" Mario is furious.

The two stare at each other, speechless.

"Why?" Clarise has a sad look on her face.

"The King sent me, you'll botch up things." Mario, wondering if she's mean at heart.

"No. Don't be so fast." An unrelenting Clarise says.

Mario attempts to walk toward the door, but is bashed with a towel.

"I said I'm going!" Clarise states with valor.

"How come you aren't, um, indecent?" Mario thought this action would reveal more than he wanted to see.

"I was holding another one just in case." She tells him.

"Ow, right! Wear something else." Mario's nose stings from the blow.

"But I'm a..." Clarise has few words left.

"Let them poke fun at you." Mario is teasing her.

He makes funny faces to add further insult.

"Nope. I don't feel like it." An unusually resistant tone of Clarise's.

"Your loss." Mario isn't sure what to do.

"Yeah, I'm so stylish!" Clarise, who briefly entered her bedroom to change into a sports top and tiny skirt.

Mario takes a breath of embarrassment, wondering how to deal with this odd woman.

"Let's head them off at the mines." She suggests.

"What for? I doubt we'll find much." Mario's now bored.

"If it's Wario, he might be there to grab treasure. We should hurry." Clarise reminds him of their goal.

"I can't refuse?" Mario decided to ask.

"Maybe that lazy King won't care, the Queen might though." An intelligent comment of Clarise's.

"Never mind. I'll take you instead." Mario doesn't like anyone in the royal family.

Clarise blushes, having a major crush. The two heroes go outside.

"Such an obsession! Where's Luigi?" Mario'd nearly forgotten about that.

The spare towel gets swung at him again. However, it misses.

"Whoa... Feisty gal, huh?" He says while laughing.

"You'll be-a pasta!" Clarise, with a fake accent.

"Sure, the world depends on me." Mario's impatient.

_"They finally leave Clarise's property, heading to the ruined mining compound."_

Wackiness will occur next time. A mysterious creature has appeared, with unknown intent. Harilious antics are bound to follow. That is, if Mario can keep his own life in check.


End file.
